cough up

verb

coughed up; coughing up; coughs up
Synonyms of cough upnext

transitive verb

1
: hand over, deliver
cough up the money
2
: to lose possession of (a ball or puck) during a game
the quarterback coughed up the ball

Synonyms of cough up

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Examples of cough up in a Sentence

finally got my brother to cough up the dough he owed me
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Taillon has coughed up 25 home runs in 15 starts this season, allowing five in his previous two starts, ceding at least one in 12 turns and permitting multiple blasts in eight starts. — Josh Shepardson, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2026 After being brought back to shore, Nathaniel began coughing up sand. — Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 5 Aug. 2026 This bet took a beating when relievers Ryan Yarbrough and Angel Chivilli combined to cough up seven runs in Monday’s eighth inning. — Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026 Until then, symptoms such as a persistent or worsening cough, coughing up blood, chest pain, shortness of breath, hoarseness or unexplained weight loss warrant a conversation with a healthcare provider. — Emily Cegielski, Flow Space, 31 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for cough up

Word History

First Known Use

1890, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cough up was in 1890

Rhymes for cough up

See All Rhymes for cough up

Browse Nearby Words

cough syrup
cough up
coughweed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cough up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cough%20up. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.

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